# Mandolin Chords Compass Lite vs Fretcetera

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Fretcetera at 92% against Mandolin Chords Compass Lite's 0%. Fretcetera also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 69 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). Mandolin Chords Compass Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fretcetera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Mandolin Chords Compass Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

Fretcetera holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Mandolin Chords Compass Lite's written reviews are positive against 92% of Fretcetera's.

Mandolin Chords Compass Lite ships an update every 69 months, Fretcetera every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mandolin Chords Compass Lite | Fretcetera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-chords-compass-lite/id1121687970/reviews) | **[4.8 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretcetera/id1262938497/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **12** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **91.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 69 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 26 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Max Schlee](https://appshunter.io/developer/429770420) | [Joel Pipher](https://appshunter.io/developer/1262938496) |

## What reviewers say

### Mandolin Chords Compass Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-chords-compass-lite/id1121687970)

Instantly discover over 8,000 mandolin chord voicings across all fretboard positions. Hear how each chord sounds and find the perfect fit for your music without needing a music theory degree. Supports mandolin, mandola, and mandocello.

**Highlights:** 8,000+ chord voicings, Instant visual chord diagrams, Audio playback for each chord, 56 chord types supported, Supports Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello, Left-handed friendly, Offline access

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Fretcetera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretcetera/id1262938497)

This app helps musicians find chords, scales, and progressions for string instruments in any tuning. It calculates optimal fingerings based on playability and user-defined preferences, and can generate chord transition suggestions.

**Highlights:** Chord and scale finder, Custom tuning support, Playability-based results, Progression builder, Chord transition suggestions, Instrument configuration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fretcetera Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mandolin Chords Compass Lite free?

Mandolin Chords Compass Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Fretcetera free?

Fretcetera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mandolin Chords Compass Lite or Fretcetera?

Fretcetera is rated higher. Mandolin Chords Compass Lite averages 4.4 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Fretcetera averages 4.8 from 11 ratings.

### Do Mandolin Chords Compass Lite or Fretcetera have ads?

Neither Mandolin Chords Compass Lite nor Fretcetera shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mandolin Chords Compass Lite or Fretcetera?

Mandolin Chords Compass Lite ships an update every 69 months, and Fretcetera every 3 weeks. Most recently, Mandolin Chords Compass Lite was updated on October 21, 2026 and Fretcetera on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*